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CAT Exam Analysis 2024 (Slot 1, 2, 3): Check Section-wise Difficulty Level and Detailed Paper Analysis by PW Experts

CAT Exam Analysis 2024 PW MBA experts is available here. The overall difficulty level was moderate. The DILR section had 2 extra questions, making it 68 questions in total, instead of 66 like last year.
authorImageShivani Kumari29 Nov, 2024
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CAT Exam Analysis 2024

CAT Exam Analysis 2024: CAT 2024 exam concluded on 24 November 2024 in three slots . Candidates can now access the detailed CAT exam analysis 2024 here. According to CAT 2024 student reactions and expert review, CAT 2024 Slot 1 difficulty level ranged between easy to moderate.

  • Notably, the QA section was comparatively easier compared to previous year’s question paper. Additionally, the DILR section was doable in terms of difficulty level, with a total of 5 sets.
The detailed CAT 2024 analysis helps candidates determine the types of questions and section-wie difficulty level. Additionally, candidates can determine the topic weightage and changes to question pattern. Candidates can access the CAT 2024 question paper after the release of CAT 2024 answer key on 29 November 2024.

CAT Exam Analysis 2024

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024, conducted by IIM Calcutta, on November 24, 2024, in three time slots. This year, the questions were slightly tougher compared to last year. The DILR section had two extra questions, making it 68 questions in total, instead of 66 like last year. However, the exam duration stayed the same at 120 minutes, with 40 minutes for each section.
CAT Exam Analysis 2024
Section Number of Questions Total Marks Difficulty Level Ideal Attempts
VARC 24 72 Easy to Moderate 14-16
DILR 22 66 Moderate 10-11
Quantitative Ability (QA) 22 66 Moderate to Difficult 10
Total 66 198
The difficulty level of CAT 2024 – Slot 1 was trickier compared to the CAT 2023 paper.
CAT 2024 Slot 1 Analysis CAT 2024 Slot 2 Analysis CAT 2024 Slot 3 Analysis

CAT Exam Analysis 2024 Important Points

CAT 2024 Slot 1 concluded by 10:30 AM today. Based on the CAT 2024 Slot 1 analysis, candidates can determine the expected challenge level of Slot 2 and Slot 3. Here are the major insights into the CAT 2024 Slot 1 exam:
  • The CAT 2024 difficulty level for Slot 1 ranged from easy to moderate.
  • CAT 2024 Slot 2 and Slot 3 are expected to moderate in terms of challenge level.
  • The VARC section included 4 RCs. There were no para jumble questions.
  • DILR included 3 sets of 4 questions and 2 sets with 5 questions.
  • Arithmetic dominated the QA section.
  • In the DILR section, most questions will be presented in sets.

CAT 2024 Section-Wise Analysis

The CAT 2024 exam was easier than last year's exam. Additionally, the distribution of questions and topics covered in each section was significantly different. Here’s the detailed breakdown of the CAT 2024 slot-wise exam analysis and difficulty level.

CAT 2024 Slot 1 Exam Analysis

CAT 2024 Slot 1 was doable in terms of overall difficulty level. Candidates with conceptual clarity and good problem-solving skills were able to solve multiple questions across all the sections. The table below presents the CAT 2024 Slot 1 exam analysis and good attempts:
CAT 2024 Slot 1 Exam Analysis
Section No. of questions Questions Non MCQ Questions Time in Minutes Difficulty Level No. of Doable Questions
VARC 24 4 Passages * 4 Questions 3 Para summary, 3 Para completion, 2 Odd one out 2 40 Easy 14-16
DILR 22 2 Sets * 5 Questions 3 Sets * 4 Questions 10 40 Easy -Moderate 10-11
QA 22 Algebra – 5-6, Arithmetic- 10-11, , Geometry- 3, Number System- 2, Modern Maths- 1 8 40 Moderate 10
Total 68 20 120 Easy- Moderate

CAT 2024 Slot 2 Exam Analysis

The following table provides the section-wise question distribution, CAT 2024 Slot 2 exam analysis , and the number of good attempts:
CAT 2024 Slot 2 Exam Analysis
Section Total Questions Challenge Level Good Attempts
VARC 24 Easy 12-14
DILR 22 Moderate 11-13
QA 22 Moderate 10-12
Total 68 Moderate 30-34

CAT 2024 Slot 3 Exam Analysis

Here is the section-wise challenge level and the number of good attempts for the CAT 2024 Slot 3 exam :
CAT 2024 Slot 3 Exam Analysis
Section Total Questions Challenge Level Good Attempts
VARC 24 Moderate to Challenging 12-14
DILR 22 Moderate 10-14
QA 22 Moderate to Challenging 10-12
Total 66 Moderate to Challenging 32-38

CAT Exam Analysis 2024: Changes in the Question Paper

IIM Calcutta will conduct the CAT 2024. With the release of the official notification, it is expected that a few updates will be introduced in the exam pattern. Here's an overview of the possible changes:
  • The overall structure of the CAT 2024 exam is likely to align with recent years, maintaining a relatively stable format.
  • The difficulty level of the CAT exam may slightly increase compared to previous exams.
  • The VARC section is expected to remain consistent in difficulty, with variations primarily seen in the type and nature of the passages.
  • The QA section may include more algebra-based questions, similar to CAT 2023. This will potentially increase the difficulty level of the section.
  • The DILR section is expected to be the most tricky following the previous years’ trends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPgfKVLMA4A

CAT Exam Analysis 2023 (Previous Year)

The CAT 2023 exam followed a structure similar to CAT 2022, with a comparable difficulty level across slots. However, Slot 3 was noticeably more challenging than Slot 1 and Slot 2. Among the three sections, Quantitative Aptitude (QA) was consistently the most difficult. However, the challenge level of the DILR and VARC sections ranged between moderate and difficult. Candidates who achieved a raw score of 98-99 were able to get the 99 percentile.

CAT 2023 Slot 1 Analysis

CAT 2023 Slot 1 presented a moderately challenging paper. However, the DILR and QA sections were moderate to difficult. The following table provides a detailed section-wise difficulty level and question distribution:
CAT 2023 Slot 1 Analysis
Section Total Questions Composition Difficulty Level
VARC 24
  • 4 RC passages (4 questions each)
  • 2 parajumble
  • 2 para summary
  • 2 para completion
  • 2 odd-one-out
Moderate
DILR 20 4 sets of 5 questions each Moderate to Difficult
QA 22
  • 7 Algebra
  • 7 Arithmetic
  • 3 Geometry
  • 4 Number System
  • 1 Modern Maths
Difficult

CAT 2023 Slot 2 Analysis

Slot 2 of CAT 2023 retained a structure similar to Slot. However, it was slightly more difficult, and the QA section was the toughest. The following table provides a detailed analysis of the CAT 2023 Slot 2 exam:

CAT 2023 Slot 2 Analysis
Section Total Questions Composition Difficulty Level
VARC 24
  • 4 RC passages (4 questions each)
  • 2 parajumble
  • 2 para summary
  • 2 para completion
  • 2 odd-one-out
Moderate
DILR 20 4 sets of 5 questions each Moderate to Difficult
QA 22
  • 8 Algebra
  • 9 Arithmetic
  • 2 Geometry
  • 3 Number System
Difficult

CAT 2023 Slot 3 Analysis

CAT 2023 Slot 3 paper included a similar number of questions across all sections. Most candidates found the questions moderately challenging. Here is a detailed section-wise challenge level and question distribution:
CAT 2023 Slot 3 Analysis
Section Total Questions Composition Difficulty Level
VARC 24
  • 4 RC passages (4 questions each)
  • 2 parajumble
  • 2 para summary
  • 2 para completion
  • 2 odd-one-out
Easy to Moderate
DILR 20 4 sets of 5 questions each Moderate to Difficult
QA 22
  • 7 Algebra,
  • 8 Arithmetic
  • 3 Geometry
  • 4 Number System
Difficult

Expected CAT 2024 Cut-Off

Each IIM sets its separate CAT cut-off to shortlist deserving candidates for its further evaluation rounds. In 2024, the IIM Ahmedabad is expected to set the highest CAT cut-off ranging from 94-100 percentile. The table below presents the CAT 2024 expected cut-off for various IIMs:
CAT 2024 Expected Cut-off
IIM CAT 2024 Cut-off Percentile
IIM Ahmedabad 94-100
IIM Bangalore 94-100
IIM Calcutta 94-100
IIM Lucknow 91-99.5
IIM Indore 91-99.5
IIM Kozhikode 91-99.5
IIM Amritsar 90+
IIM Nagpur 90+
IIM Sambalpur 90+
IIM Trichy 90+
IIM Raipur 90+
IIM Ranchi 90+
IIM Kashipur 90+
IIM Vizag 90+
IIM Rohtak 90+
IIM Udaipur 90+

CAT Score vs Percentile

For candidates aspiring to pursue an MBA from IIMs through the CAT exam, it's important to note that admissions are determined based on percentile. The percentile represents how a candidate's performance compares to that of all test-takers. To determine one’s target score, it is essential to know the corresponding percentile, as each IIM sets its cut-off in percentile.

The table below presents a detailed CAT score vs percentile analysis:
CAT Score vs Percentile
VARC Score QA Score DILR Score Overall Score CAT Percentile
48 48 36 106 99.9%
44 32 32 89 99.5%
40 28 28 80 99%
36 24 25 71 98%
30 19 19 57 95%
25 15 16 49 90%
21 12 13 40 85%
19 10 11 36 80%
17 9 10 31 75%
15 8 9 29 70%
PW MBA Online Coaching offers strategic preparation to help candidates strengthen their conceptual clarity and problem-solving skills. Join PW MBA Coaching Class to access regular live lectures, recorded video lessons, updated DPPs, and mock tests with performance analysis.

CAT Exam Analysis 2024 FAQs

What is the difficulty level of the CAT exam 2024?

The difficulty level of CAT 2024 will range from moderate to challenging.

Will CAT 2024 be tougher than 2023?

Based on previous years’ CAT exam trends, it is expected that CAt 2024 will be more challenging than 2023.

Which section is most difficult in CAT exam?

QA and DILR are the most challenging sections in the CAT exam.

What is the CAT slot 3 timing?

CAT Slot 3 timing is from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

Which is the most scoring section in CAT?

VARC is the highest scoring section in CAT, provided candidates understand the passages and comprehend the questions before answering them.
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